Apparatus for coating articles with pulverulent material.



c. DOERING, JR. APPARATUS ROR COATING ARTICLES WITH PULVERULENT MATERIAL.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT.6, 1910. I r 976,443. Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

II-smm mvunmm It.

G. DOERING, JR.v APPARATUS r01; comma ARTICLES WITH PULVEBULENT MATERIAL.

LPPLIUATIOH FILED SEPT. 6, 1910. I

latented Nov. 22, 1910.

3 SHEETS-431112111 2;

0; 1105mm, JR. APPARATUS FOR. COATING ARTICLES WITH PULVEBULERT MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED 812F126, 1910. A

Patented Nov. 22. 1910.

3 IIEI'IHBEIT 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT CHARLES nonnme, ml, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR To ADAMS- & EIQTING 00., or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR COATING ARTICLES WITH PULVERULENT MATERIAL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEQ DOERING, J r., citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inApparatus for Coating Articles with Pulverul'ent Material; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

, tures of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter claimed. In the accompanymg drawlngs illustratfully described. and

inga suitable embodiment of the invention:

Figure .-1 is a View in central vertical longitudinal section of an' apparatus constructed in accordancewith my invention, Fig. -2 is a vertical transverse section of the same on the line-22 of Fig. -1.

Fig. -3 isa top plan view of the same. Fig; t is a fragmentary detail vertical section on the line of -1 showing the dry color container'pivotally mounted upon one of the doors of the apparatus. Figs. --5 and --6'- are views in side elevation vof respectively opposite sides of latches employed for maintaining thev doors locked. Fig. is l a detail horizontal section. on the line;77 of Fig. 5 showing the latch in its engaged position. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section of the apparatus. Fig. -9- is a detail View showing the window-frames employed at thesight holes.

In bronzing articles such as metallic bedsteads, window guards, hardware, and the like it has been customary'to mix the bronze powder, or other drycolorjused, with socalled bronze-size, a quick-drying adhesive liquid, and applying the mixture to the article by means of a brush.'

Recently it has been attempted to apply the bronze powder in its dry state to thestill moist, sticky, size-covered surface of the article to be bronzed by means-of an air blast Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Nov, 1910. Application filed September 6, 1910. Serial No. 580,647. if

conveying such powder, the latter adheringto the moist surface upon coming in contact therewith. This method has been found to be far cheaper and more eflicient than the older method of applying the bronze-containing size by means of a brush.

Applying bronze powder and the like to moist surfaces by means of an air current carrying the powder has for many years of the powder from remaining deposited upon thesurface at any point to be subsequently removed with the article from the apparatus and then brushed from the surface or otherwise removed, as it is thereby wasted," Theeconomy and efliciency of this method of bronzin is also largelydependent. upon' -the rapidity with which the powder is applied to the sized surface.- .As previously stated the size-liquid dries very rapidly and, therefore, the bronze powder must be applied before the size becomes too dry and loses its adhesive power and, on the other-hand, the powder cannot ,be applied while the size is still very moist. The exact time of application.- of the bronze powder is determined by the touch of the operator upon the sized surface. Obviously the air current constituting the vehicle for'conveying the powder promotes rapid 'drying and this must also be taken into account by the operator. Hence, the rapidity of 21p,- plicatlon of the powder is an importai'it factor.

i The powder used is usually impalpable and, hence, is very easily suspended in and conveyed by an aircurrent, and after being agitated and suspended in the air time is required for it to settle to rid the air thereof. In settling it will obviously lodge upon all horizontal or substantially horizontal sur.-. faces, the excess so deposited being wasted.-

As the apparatuscannot be opened for re- 0 movalyof the bronzed article .until the sus-' V pended lpowderhas settled, a great deal of time is necessarily lost after each bronzing operation, depending upon the specific grav- 1 ity of the owder beingused. Itisdesirable also t at a change from the use of a i gg lfir-of one color to that of another color --,.qu1ck1-y. and thoroughly effected so the :of powders of, different colors (3 may be avoaded. ,It is further desirable to "eoufinejthe-collection of the powder. after eseh-jeperaad to a particular place in the apparattis-iiinstead of permitting it to settle is m that thepowder be fed to the apparatus small quantities at frequent intervals iather-' tl aii in large quantities as the use of lar e quantities at a time occasions waste 3. an .lack of uniformity in the product. A further, essential re' uisite to successful .bronZing istocause t e air current carryinglfithe'. bronze powder to impinge with surfaces'thereof. It is further esiru'al force .upon every point in the surface the -.article to be bronzed and into every creviceland corner of the same so that the particles {of "powder are thrown violently mtojcontact with the sized surface and becomeembedded therein as deeplyv as 'posf My" invention. is designed .to accomplish all of the foregoing objects and advantages, that-Tie, first: to-provide an apparatus in -.whichl the air currents carrying the bronze powderiare' caused to impinge with equal orce upon-{every point in the surface and intoeverycorner and crevice of'the article.

Fourth: to provide an apparatus so organ-.

ized as to "occupy minimum space and in which only the air contained in the bIOIlZr ing chamber proper is employed as the vehicle for conveying the bronze powder.

Other objects and advantages of'the apparatus embodying my invention will appear in-the'ifollowing;

The. apparatus comprises a rectangular chamber 1 open at opposite ends and equipped with doors 2 and 3 respectively, at said open ends, the latter being accurately fitted to said-ends and suitably equipped to effectually seal the chamber when closed and locked. The upper part of the chamber 1 'abovet-he, level of the upper walls of the openings therein constitutes a hood-4. The

ppoiithe bottom or other exposed support side walls of said hood 4 preferably con 'verge slightly so as to contract the upper part thereof. Said hood 4 is provided at either endwith an opening 5 and 6 respectively, bordered by flan es 7 and 8 PI'OJGCting from the 'upper wa l of said hood. In

passages formed by said respective flanges 4 Fitting telescopically over the flange 7 is a tubular member 14 provided in its to wall with a flanged opening 15 over whic1 several layers 16 of fabric are drawn so as to enable air to pass therethrough but filtering from said air any dust or powder carried thereby. The flange 8 communicates with a dust collector 17 of any suitable construction, the hollow stem or inlet tube of which telesco ically receives said flange thus enabling sai dust collector to be readily removed and replaced. Spanning said hood laterally at its lower. end is a cross bar 18 disposed midway between the ends of said hood, and substantially midway between said cross-bar 18 and the respective ends of said hood are two cross-bars 19 and 20 respectively. To'each of the latter there is secured a footbearing 21 of any suitable construction. J ournaled .at their lower ends in said bearings 21 and between their,ends in bearings 22 in the upper wall of said hood are vertical shafts 23 and 24, each equipped above said hood with a pulley 25. A belt .26 is trained over said pulleys 25 to cause said shafts torotate in unison. The shaft 24 is further equipped with a pulley 27 or other adequate means for connecting the same with a source of power. Upon each of said shafts 23 and24= there is mounted a plurality of fan-blades 28 and 29 respectively, the said blades 28 being inclined oppositely to the inclination or cant of the ,blades 29 so that the latter will impart movement to the air in the opposite direction from the blades 28. Suspended from said cross-bars 19 and 20 areparallel rails 30'connected adjacent their endsand at points between their ends by cross-bars 31 serving to reinforce the same and maintain them parallel with each other. Beyond the respective ends of the apparatus are pairs of standards 32 to which pairs of rails 33 similarly cross braced are pivotally secured at one end. The other ends of said rails 33 are equipped with hooks 3i adapted'to engage the cross-bars 31 adjacent the ends of the rails 30 to supportsaid rails 33 at one end upon the latter and serving also to prevent relative lateral or longitudinaljmo ment of said rails 30 and'33 rspec:

" "Adjacent the floor of the chamber 1. and

jectsoutwardly from said openings.

supported upon rods 35 passing through the side walls thereof is a pair of rails 36' which are also adapted to be suitably connected withlrails disposed externally of the apparatus andupon which trucks 37 are adapted to travel, the latter being adapted to suport articles to be treated. In the instance illustrated the truck 37 is-equipped' with ne adapted to enter the caster-shank openings in legs'of-bedstead ends thusservmg to exclude the powder-from said openings and at the same time obviatin the uncovered areas caused by contact 0 the suspension hooks employed to suspend articles from thetrucks or cranes 34: and which must be subsequently bronzed by hand.

The structure is suitably reinforced externally in any suitable manner to rehder it stable and durable; The openings in the ends of the chamber 1 are bordered by angle irons disposed so that one flange of each c i 'ohe doors are similarly equipped with angle irons on their edges, so as to rovide-snugly interfitting and overlapping rames suitably hinged together along one edge. Adjacent the other edges of the door frames latches 39- are pivotally. secured, each of the latter comprising a lever provided between its ends with an overturned flange 40 between the free edge portion of which and the opposin portion of the lever a substantially U-shape recess is formed,--the latter being preferably flared slightly at its mouth portion. In said recessthe contiguous edge portions of the door and door frame is received and by virtue of the contraction ofsaid recess in its deepest part, the walls of the latter serve to force the parts received therebetw'een together' as said lever is turned to the limit of its movement in one direction: The latch shownand described is very simple and efiichanged and varied as'desired.

cient as is also the construction of the doors and door frames but these specific features of construction are merely exemplary of what is suited to my purposes and may be Upon the inner face of the door there is pivotally mounted a shelf 40* equipped at its pivoted end with a pocket 41 the top'wall ofwhich is inclined relatively to the bottom wall thereof, the planes of said respective walls meeting in the free edge of the ,bot-

tom wall. The side wallsof said pocket 41 7 its other endwith a suitable handle trolled by. the operator.

are continued to the free edge of the bottom wall thereof and constitute-side edgefianges for the latter. The-upper edges of said side flanges are disposed in the plane of. said top of the bottom wall of said pocket I provide a wedge shaped projection .42 which is adapted to be engaged by the spiral projection 43 at one end of a shaft 44 journaled in a bearing in the door 2 and equip Jed at or operating the same, said pocket 41 being thus adapted to be sealed whenever desired and the feed of powder to the air currents con- In the side wallsof the chamber 1, I provide suitable openings 45 covered preferably by glass or other transparent material, the

latter being preferably mounted in frames 46 hinged to said side walls adjacent said openings and adapted to be swung to seal the same and suitably maintained closed during the operation of the a paratus.

Through said openings light is admitted and the o erator is enabled to watch the progress of tie bronzing'operation. Obvlously any suitable means for illuminating the interior of the apparatus may be provided.

"The operation of my said apparatus is as follows: One of said doors 2 or 3 having been opened the article to be treated, which may be suspended from the truck or crane 34" or may be mounted upon the truck, is inserted into the chamber 1 and after placing the dry color powder upon the shelf said door is closed as are also the dampers and the frames containing the glass to'cover the side holes so as to relatively effectually seal said chamber 1. The fans in the hood of the latter are then set in motion. The said fans are preferably so disposed as to impart movement to the air in respectively opposite directions and are operated at high speed in order to agitate the air contained in the chamber 1 very violently. The rotation'of said fans to impart movement to the air in opposite directions produces mainly a rotary movement of the air in said chamber but by reason of the relatively small volume of space of the air upon various surfaces will cause deflection of the main current and an impingement of the latter upon every portion of the surface to be treated from practically all directions. The violent agitation of the air will cause the latter to pick up the dry color powder from the shelf and will carry it in a cloud completely enveloping the article to be treated and will throw the colored particles violently against the surface of said article lent-impingement of said particles upon said surfacewhich is still plastic will cause said paifiicle's' to become more or less embedded 'therein'butafter said still plastic surface has been completely covered with said powdered articles it wi lobviouslybe impossible for urther particles to lodge upon said surfaces.

Thus the surface of the article will be comder as will adhere to the same but no superfiuous powder will remain deposited upon such surfaces. l I

' The operator can by looking through the several sight holes watch the progress of the work and when he observes that the article is completelycoated and ready to be removed he'operates the lever 13t0 open the dampers, the fans being still maintained in operation. It is well-known that solids carried-in suspension in fluids will always seek escape from the-moving fluid to that which: is less in motion or at rest. Accordingly, as soon as said dampers are opened 'the dust will gather wherethe motion of the air is least. This will be in the dust collector into which the air gradually passes but by reason of the small volume of air contained in the'apparat-us its passa e-through said dust collector andthe' deposit of the dry powder in the latter occupies exceedingly little time so that within a few seconds after opening said dampers the operatorshuts of? the transmission of power tothe fans and by the time the 33.75. latter are at rest the atmosphere within the chamber will" be clear 'of the powder.

'It will be particularly noted that in my said apparatus only that air which is'contained within the chamber-at the time of intained violently agitated. This violentagi- *tatl'o'n and the friction caused by the contact of the airwith the surface upon-which it im-' 'pinges' causes the latter to become warm very rapidly so that even during the very short interval required to coat the surface ofthe article to be treated the 'colitainediair will have increased considerably in temperature. The temperature is, of course, highest. at-the time of completion of th'ecoatmg operation and the higher temperature con- 1' pledwith the motion of the airwillsob- I viously assist materially, in drying the coating or sizing on .the article so that when the siiciently dry to be handled without danger of removing any considerable portion of the coatingor otherwise injuring t e appearance "of .thecoated surface.

It. is preferable for the economic operation purpose the several pairs of rails-within the pletely coated with as much of the. dry pow-" trodu ction of the article tobe coated is main- .latter leavesthe apparatus itis almost'suf-r circulation of air around the coated article.

apparatus may be'made continuous with rails extending in both directions from the same.

. While I have. shown the dust collector mounted upon the hood and communicatin with the latter, it will be'understood that it may be located at any other convenient point. Thegdry powder carried by the airwlllbe deposited wherever the motion of thejair is" insufiicient to overcome gravity but during" the period that the powder is being de'posit- 7 ed upon the article 1t is desirable to revent deposit of same at any point in the .c amber. By merely opening the damper controlling communication {with the dust collector. the powder; quickly finds itszway into and be-. comes deposited in the latter but this action is hastened by openingboth dampers so as to admit air at one oint .and. discharge it through said dust col ecton;

During the time that the unapplied pow-" der is deposited in the dust collector, thecons tinuation of the violent motion of the air within the chamber and around .the articles contained therein not only prevents any excess from becoming deposited on the latter but serves to blow from the surface thereof any-' particles not firmly adhering thereto.

A peculiarity of the operation of my-apparatus is that the aircurrents' within'the same do not pick up all of the bronze powder contained on the shelf at once but take ltupu very gradually. Hence, as soon as the surefaces to be coated are fully covered" by the powder, the operator turns the shaft "to pre: vent any more powder being'taken upand maintains the shelf sealed during thefli'nten. val of dust collection. a

While I. have emplo ed the 'term-- bronzing and have referre more particularlyto bronze powder in'the foregoing descrlp tion it will be understood that'saidterms in means for introducing coating material into said air currents for transm ssion to the surfaces to' be coated, and means for clarifyin the chamber of unapplied' coating materla, after the article hasbe'en' coated. 4

2. A machine of-the-kind spec fied comprising a closed chamber ,adapte to recelye articles to be coated, 'me ans for creating air currents in Said'chamber to implnge upon all -portions of the surfaces of 581d artihles,

.means for introducing coating materialmto 3 said air currents for transmission to the sur faces to-be coated, and means for clarlfyin the' chamber of unapplied *coatmg, mater-1a. after the article :has been coated and during mania 5 3. A machine of the hind specified conr prising a closed chamber adapted to receive articles to be coated, means for setting the air contained in said chamber in motion to impinge upon the surfaces of the articles to be coated, means for introducing coating material into said air for transmission thereby to the surfaces of said articles, and manually controlled means operable from the exterior of the casing for clarifying .the chamber of unapplicd coating material after the articles have been coated and during maintenance of air in motion Within said chamber.

4;. A machine of the class specified com prising a coating material supply, means for creating currents of air .to take up thecoating material in suspension and apply it to the article to be coated, means for closing the material supply to the air currents, and means for simultaneously removing the un applied material from the air and the surplusage from the article after the latter has been coated.

5. A machine of the kind specified comprising a closed chamber adapted to receive articles to be coated, means for setting the air contained in said chamber in motion to impinge upon the surfaces. to be coated, means for introducing coating material into said air. a dust collecting receptacle communicating with said chamber, and a damper controlling said COIHD'llllllCtlilOll, said damper when opened, permitting air from said chamber to enter said receptacle to deposit coating material therein during maintenance of circulation of air within said chamber, whereby the said chamber is freed of unapplied coating material after the article has been coated.

6. A machine of the'kindspecified com.- prising a closed chamber adapted to receive articles to be coated, a fan Within the same adjacent one end for projecting air to impinge upon the bottom of said chamber, a fan disposed adjacent the other end and adapted to project air to impinge againstthe top ofthe said chamber, and a receptacle for coating material Within said chamber,

the bottom thereof being located to oppose the upward traveling air current, the air in motion being adapted to pick up coating material from said receptacle and apply it to the article.

7. A machine of the kind specified comprising a closed chamber adapted to receive articles to be coated,,a fan Within the same adjacent one end for projecting air to impinge upon the bottom of said chamber, a

fan disposed adjacent the other end and adapted to project air to impinge against the top of the said chamber, a receptacle communicating with said chamber for collecting unapplied coating material from the said chamber after the article has been coated, and a damper controlling said communication.

8. A. machine of the kind specified comprising a closed chamber adapted to. receive articles to be coated, a fan within the same adjacent one end for projecting air to impinge upon the bot-tom of said chamber, a t'andisposed adjacent the other end and adapted to project air to impinge againstthe top of the said chamber, arcceptacle for coating material within said chamber, the bottom thereof being located to oppose the upward traveling air current, the air-in Inotion being adapted to pick up coating material from said receptacle and apply it to the 86 article, means operable from the exterior of the chamber for sealing said receptacle, a receptacle communicating with said chamber for collecting unapplied coating material therefrom after the article has been'coated and While maintaining air in motion in said chamber, and a damper controlling said communication. I

9. Apparatus of the kind specified comprising a closed chamber adapted to receive 90 articles to be coated, anair inlet for said chamber, a dust collector communicating with said chamber, manually operated means controlling said air inlet to open or close the same, manually operated means controlling the communication of said dust collector with said chamber, a receptacle for coating material Within said chamber, means operable from the exterior of said chamber for opening and closing said receptacle, and 190 a plurality of devices adapted to be actuated to produce oppositely traveling air current; within said receptacle for conveying coating material to the contained articles.

10. Apparatus of the kind specified comprising aclosed chamber adapted to. receive articles to be coated, an air inlet for said chamber, a dustcollector communicating with said chamber, manually operable means controlling said air inlet to open or close the same, manually operable means controlling the conmnmication' of said dust collector with said chamber connection between said manually operable means for actuating the same in unison, a receptacle for coating material within said chamber, means operable from the exterior of said chamber for opening and closing said receptacle, and a plurality of devices disposed Within said chamber and adapted to-be actuated to produce oppositely traveling air currents Within said receptacle for conveying coating material to the contained articles.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name in presence of'two subscribing w1t nesses.

CHARLES DOERING, JR. Witnesses:

FRANK Donnnvo, HENRY H. DOERING.

Disclaimer i team Patent No. 976.443.,

DISCLAIMER- 9 76,443.C/za 1'Zes Doeringj, J12, Chicago, Ill. APPARATUS FOR CoA'rme-AR'rIcLns WITH.PULVERULENT MATERIAL; Patent dated November 22, 1910. Disclaimer filed June 13, 1912, by the assignee, Adams & Eltz'ng 00 Enters this disclaimer to To that part of the claim in said specification which is in the following words,

. 1. A machine of the kind specified comprising a closed chamber adapted to receive articlestobe'coated, means for creating air currents in said chamber to impinge upon all portions of the surfaces of said articles, means fordntroducing coatin material into said air currentsfor transmission to the surfaces to be coated, an means for clarifying the chamber of unapplied coating material after the article has been'coated. I

2; A machine of the kind specified comprising aclo'sed chamber adapted to receive articles to be coated, means for creating air currents in said chamber to impinge upon all portions of the surfaces of said articles, means for introducing coating material. into said an currents for transmission to the surfaces to be coated, and means for" clarifyingthe chamber of unapplied coating material after the article has been coated and during circulation of air-around the coated article.

3. machine of the kind specified comprising a closed chamber adapted to receive a'rticlesto be coated, means for setting the air contained insaid chamber in motion to impinge upon thesurfaces of the articles to .be coated, means for introducing coating material into said air for-transmission thereby to the surfaces of said articles, and

' manually controlled .means operable from the exterior of the casing for clarifyin the chamber of unapplied coating material after the articles have been coated an during maintenance of air in motion within said chamber. 1

4. machine ofthe class specified comprising a coating material supply, means for creating currents of air to take upth'e coating material in suspension and apply it to thear'ticle to be coated, means for closingthe material supply to the air-currents,

and means for simultaneously removing the unapplied material from the air and the surplusage from the article after the latter has been coated.

[Uficz'al Gazette, June 25, 1.912.] V 

